Zoox issues software recall over lane crossings

In a move prioritizing safety, Zoox, the autonomous vehicle division of Amazon, announced a voluntary recall of its software on Tuesday. This decision arises from concerns that its driving system may have led vehicles to inadvertently cross lane boundaries near intersections or obstruct crosswalks. The recall impacts 332 vehicles, as documented in filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Despite no reported collisions linked to this issue, Zoox acknowledged in its NHTSA communication that these maneuvers could elevate the risk of accidents. The company has been providing complimentary rides in its driverless Zoox vehicles across select areas in San Francisco and Las Vegas. A spokesperson for Zoox explained to TechCrunch that the company discovered several instances where its vehicles executed maneuvers typical for human drivers but did not align with the company's operational standards. For instance, to avoid blocking intersections at red lights, a robotaxi might stop within a crosswalk. Additionally, there were occurrences of late turns that resulted in wider arcs than intended, according to the spokesperson's email statement. The issue first came to light on August 26, when a Zoox robotaxi made a wide right turn, encroaching into the oncoming lane and temporarily halting in front of it, as detailed in the NHTSA filing. Subsequent monitoring led to the identification of 62 instances of lane crossings occurring between August 26 and December 5. Zoox stated in its filing that it is engaged in ongoing discussions with the NHTSA regarding the frequency, severity, and underlying causes of these incidents. The company has been proactive, rolling out software updates on November 7 and again mid-December to rectify the identified issues. "We have successfully identified and deployed targeted software improvements to address the root causes of these incidents," said the company in a statement. "Today, we are issuing a voluntary software recall because transparency and safety are fundamental to Zoox, and we aim to maintain open communication with the public and regulators as we continuously refine our technology." The software recall applies to Zoox vehicles that operated on public roads from March 13 to December 18, as noted in the filing. This is not the first time Zoox has implemented software recalls this year; earlier recalls included one in March to correct unexpected hard braking, prompted by a preliminary NHTSA investigation following reports of motorcyclists colliding with the back of Zoox vehicles. In May, the company issued two more recalls aimed at enhancing the system's predictive capabilities regarding other road users.